Representative Rodney Davis (R-13) recognized the winners of the Congressional Art Competition at the Old State Capitol last night. Students from around his district submitted their work for the chance to have it displayed at the Capitol in Washington DC. A panel of local judges selected “The Colosseum” by Gabriela Cicogna. Attendees of the event also voted for the Women’s Choice award. Brooke Gibbs won this prize for her piece “Not Yet Defined.” Both pieces, as well as other submissions, will be on display at the Old State Capitol until May 4th.

In addition to the art show, Davis hosted Tiffany Mathis. Mathis is the Director of Development and Community Relations for the Boys &Girls Club of Central Illinois. They discussed her journey and work helping different community groups. Mathis also shared her views on how to develop the next generation of leaders, both male and female. You can see their whole discussion in the player.

Senior strategist, statehouse reporter and political correspondent for Springfield Daily. Graduate of District 117 and UIS. Thomas covers stories in both Morgan and Sangamon Counties, as well as statewide politics.

SJ-R writers march for a contract

2007 was the year President George W. Bush sent the “surge” of troops to Iraq, the iPhone was released, and the subprime mortgage bubble popped. It was also when writers at the State Journal-Register (SJR) last got a raise. Even after forming a union in 2012, the newsroom writers are still fighting to get their first contract with GateHouse Media. GateHouse Media is part of the New Media Investment Group, which acquired the SJR in 2007. They are based in Fairport, New York,

Today, members of the local United Media Guild marched to demand a labor contract. Those negotiations are ongoing in St. Louis, and have made some progress. A deal struck last year will guarantee a one percent raise in September of this year, and a 1.75 percent raise in October of next year. The marchers were joined by members of other local labor unions including AFSCME.

The local United Media Guild is part of The NewsGuild-CWA which represents 25,000 journalists and media workers across the nation.

You can see our interviews with Union representatives in the video player above, and watch some of the march in the player below.

The loss of any service member in the armed forces is a tragedy. When a service member dies in a combat zone, their remains are either flown home or to Dover Air Force Base. If the family needs transportation to Dover, the Department of Defense (DoD) handles the arrangements. But if the death occurred outside of a combat zone, that does not always happen. Waivers are often granted in these cases, but only by request. Congressmen Davis (R-13) wants to change that.

This issue was highlighted in August 2017, when the USS John McCain struck a merchant ship in the Singapore Strait. Ten US service members died in that accident, including Petty Officer Logan Palmer of Harristown, Illinois. The Palmer family struggled with the DoD bureaucracy, and ultimately relied on outside organizations to arrange travel to Dover.

Davis’ bill, H.R. 5848, would require the DoD to cover the travel arrangements for non-combat deaths without the red tape. Davis said that, “The Department of Defense has assured me that they are working to change this policy now, but a law is necessary to ensure this change remains permanent.”

H.R. 5848 is an amendment to the Fiscal Year (FY) ’19 National Defense Authorization Act, which is expected to pass the House later this week.